Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.0.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site.

# Life's Spice

Intriguing Life Experiences

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://lifespice.blog/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://lifespice.blog/blog/)
- [‘Water-less or water-loo: No longer a matter of personal preference](https://lifespice.blog/2026/06/05/water-less-or-water-loo-no-longer-a-matter-of-personal-preference/) - When the pandemic engulfed the world, a peculiar madness gripped the West. Millions of Westerners frantically bought toilet rolls. For all of us from the East, the scramble for tissue paper and the sight of their empty shelves in supermarkets was baffling. We simply could not comprehend the urgency to stack paper rolls, but then,
- [Courtesy beyond the call of duty](https://lifespice.blog/2026/07/10/courtesy-beyond-the-call-of-duty/) - The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in Chandigarh has turned my neighborhood into a bustling hub of verification and documentation. Seeing the enumerators going about with their job reminds me of the heartwarming story of a remarkable government school teacher. Though teachers are meant to be in classrooms teaching
- [Sultry summer nights under the stars](https://lifespice.blog/2017/07/21/sultry-summer-nights-under-the-stars/) - As I lie down in the cool comfort of my air-conditioned bedroom, blissfully unaffected by the hot and sultry weather outside, I cannot help recalling the summer nights when sleeping out in the open was a norm. In my growing up days there were no ACs, no coolers either to give respite from hot weather.
- [The Stiletto and the Spouse: Choosing comfort over style](https://lifespice.blog/2026/05/28/the-stiletto-and-the-spouse-choosing-comfort-over-style/) - “For husband and shoes, one should look for comfort rather than style.” It’s a sharp one-liner from legendary actress Sharmila Tagore that I still remember, even though I read it decades ago. It was published in the now-defunct ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’, a highly popular magazine during my growing-up days. Back then, as a
- [The vanishing pavement and pedestrian's plight ](https://lifespice.blog/2026/05/24/the-vanishing-pavement-and-pedestrians-plight/) - As a part of my daily routine, I set out for my evening walk in the neighborhood park, barely five minutes from my home. My journey to the park is more of an ‘obstacle walk’ that keeps me mentally agile as I navigate the constant flow of traffic and encroachments on the way. The park has
- [A nostalgic stride in School Shoes](https://lifespice.blog/2026/03/28/a-tale-of-school-shoes/) - Growing up in the 1960s and 70s was different from childhood today, especially for those of us in middle-class families who lived a hand-to-mouth existence. Unlike the present-day kids who have a dizzying variety of footwear - school shoes, formal shoes and sneakers, our world of shoes was far simpler. We had just one kind:
- [Beware of social media’s wellness minefield](https://lifespice.blog/2026/02/14/beware-of-social-medias-wellness-minefield/) - While casually scrolling streaming platforms, the web series 'Apple Cider Vinegar' caught my attention. I was one of those religiously downing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water first thing every morning. Although little scientific evidence supports its extravagant health claims, the concoction has become a full-scale fad - the
- [The quirky world of names: from pet to proper](https://lifespice.blog/2026/01/21/the-quirky-world-of-names-from-pet-to-proper/) - I have always been intrigued by names –the informal pet names, the formal real names, and everything in between. Growing up in Punjab in the 1960s and 70s, I knew many girls in my circle of friends and acquaintances affectionately called Babli, Guddi, Pinki, Sweety and Lovely. Many boys had pet names such as Happy,
- [From ordinary to an (extra) ordinary bus journey](https://lifespice.blog/2025/09/22/from-ordinary-to-an-extra-ordinary-bus-journey-2/) - My experience with inter-city travel by road dates back to my M Phil studies at the university in Amritsar. Almost every weekend, I would shuttle between my home town, Jalandhar and Amritsar on state roadways buses. My studies completed, but my bus journeys continued, though on a different route. Now I commuted frequently between Jalandhar
- [The grand privilege](https://lifespice.blog/2024/02/15/the-grand-privilege/) - When you hold a new born in your arms, you can’t help marvelling at God’s creation, and when the baby is your own grandchild, it’s a feeling that can hardly be expressed in words. You are in a sea of emotions - amazement, elation, gratitude, all rolled in one. The moment you see the baby,
- [From Drudgery to Dreams](https://lifespice.blog/2025/10/27/from-drudgery-to-dreams/) - The evolving ‘Mrs’: Women across different generations Sometime back, I watched a much-talked-about Hindi film 'Mrs’. It’s a poignant story of a bubbly young woman Richa who marries into an educated family of doctors, only to find herself trapped in the relentless drudgery of domestic chores. She learns to cook elaborate meals to meet her
- [TECHNO - (UN) SAVVY](https://lifespice.blog/2012/06/25/techno-un-savvy/) - I was trying to chat with my niece on the Internet. As I struggled to trace and strike the right alphabet keys to communicate with her, irritated at my miserably slow speed , my niece wrote, “Bua, so gaye kya?”(Aunt, have you gone off to sleep?) No, I had not dozed off. In fact, despite
- [No man’s life is a fairy tale](https://lifespice.blog/2021/12/15/no-mans-life-is-a-fairy-tale/) - As a child, I might have dreamt of the life of princess, fantasised about a royal life as a teenager but long ago stopped being enamored by the lives of kings and queens. Whatever little envy I had been left with, disappeared after watching ‘The Crown’, a Netflix series on British royalty that blurs the
- [From listening to binge-watching](https://lifespice.blog/2022/03/01/from-listening-to-binge-watching/) - Sitting in the privacy of my bed room, as I surf scores of television channels and OTT platforms to watch the program of my choice on a high-definition LED flat screen, I recall my growing up days. I remember a big Murphy radio, as big as a television, occupying a place of pride in our drawing room till
- [Meandering Around WhatsApp War Posts](https://lifespice.blog/2025/06/11/meandering-around-whatsapp-war-posts/) - There is a bombardment of all kinds of forwarded messages on WhatsApp—fake and real. While many forwards may be dismissed as downright silly, there are some that leave a deep impact on you. While meandering around a plethora of WhatsApp messages, I came across a post that haunted me: "War is where young people
- [The ultimate Reality Show: Trump edition](https://lifespice.blog/2025/07/23/the-ultimate-reality-show-trump-edition/) - An extraordinary scene was orchestrated in the White House. Lights in the Oval Office were dimmed to show video clippings of purported genocide against whites to South African President Ramaphosa. Right in front of the television cameras, unfounded accusations were hurled at the visiting dignitary. The shameful spectacle was reminiscent of Ukrainian President Zelensky’s February
- [We, the Indians...](https://lifespice.blog/2022/05/16/we-the-indians/) - I sincerely wish these are really not Indian traits but sadly these are , evident everywhere in our society , in our behaviour , in our mindset. 'Rules are meant to be broken’, are the proud proclamations we often hear in our country, as if flouting rules is an achievement to be flaunted. Not only
- [Looking good, feeling good and being-good](https://lifespice.blog/2023/03/22/looking-good-feeling-good-and-being-good/) - “When you look good, you feel good. Confidence with what you're wearing is very important. If you feel good, you will always perform your best without worrying about anything.” These are the famous lines attributed to the former world number one Tennis player Maria Sharapova, winner of 5 Grand slams and Olympic medalist. Sharapova is
- [An Unceremonious Pack-up](https://lifespice.blog/2014/07/23/an-unceremonious-pack-up/) - I am not talking about a pack-up announced by a director after a film shooting. It’s about a virtual ‘pack-up’ declared by a doctor in a dental clinic. Years ago, I do not remember exactly when, I got root-canal treatment done for my aching tooth. The dentist advised me to get a crown fixed on
- [From 'Josh' to 'Hosh’](https://lifespice.blog/2019/03/24/pulwama-and-aftermathfrom-josh-to-hosh/) - After having recently watched ‘Uri: The surgical strike’, my ‘josh' has been high and my spirits upbeat. As patriotic emotions run high, I am charged and enthused. However, when the rousing slogan, ‘How is the Josh?’ is resonating not just with me but across the nation, the dastardly Pulwama terrorist attack in which 40
- [Goof-ups that left me red-faced](https://lifespice.blog/2025/04/27/goof-ups-that-left-me-red-faced/) - Thanks to predictive and auto-correct features in smart phones, texting is much easier and faster. While the former assists by suggesting words that you may intend typing, the latter takes command in its own hand to automatically correct a supposed typing error. However, auto- correct doesn’t always work as intended. There are goofups when phone’s
- [Political drama and media circus over a tragedy](https://lifespice.blog/2020/09/11/political-drama-and-media-circus-over-a-tragedy/) - I was watching prime-time news on a premium news channel. The mystery surrounding Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide was being hotly debated. To seek respite from the sordid drama I switched to another channel to find Rhea Chakraborty, SSR’s girl friend being grilled by an anchor. In disgust, I moved to another channel to see her
- [A random memory flashes back](https://lifespice.blog/2025/02/17/a-random-memory-flashes-back/) - Setting curd before winding up the kitchen at night has been a part of my daily routine for decades. In winters, as temperatures fall the task becomes daunting. I try to follow my mom-in law’s golden rule for the perfect curd: mix a little curd thoroughly into sufficiently warm milk and wrap the milk
- [A social media post and the lessons learnt](https://lifespice.blog/2025/01/21/a-social-media-post-and-the-lessons-learnt/) - There is nothing exceptional about getting a text message from a student on Teachers’ Day. These days it’s quite common for the students to wish their teachers on social media. But this message, posted by an old student on my Facebook timeline, was different- the first of its kind. It was neither a greeting nor
- [That fateful night of December 3](https://lifespice.blog/2014/12/03/that-fateful-night-of-december-3/) - I was in class nine and my brother, who is younger to me by exactly a year, was in the eighth standard. We lived in the city but our school, Kendriya Vidyalaya, was at the farthest end of Jalandhar cantonment. Normally, we commuted by the school bus which took us about forty minutes for one
- [Conversing in comfort](https://lifespice.blog/2024/11/15/the-comfort-of-conversing-in-comfort-language/) - “You always speak in Hindi, while your husband converses with you in Punjabi.” I looked at my friend in disbelief when she pointed out . Months into my marriage, I was blissfully unaware of the anomaly that we were conversing in two different languages, speaking with each other in our own comfort language, a lingo
- [Retired but not tired](https://lifespice.blog/2017/11/16/retired-but-not-tired/) - Retirement is not a bolt from the blue. You know the exact date when you are going to retire and hence have all the time to prepare yourself for the D-Day. Yet, when the time comes it is not easy. There is no denying the fact that retirement brings a sort of upheaval in life
- [Flirtations with online shopping](https://lifespice.blog/2024/10/22/flirtations-with-online-shopping/) - I was baffled. Every now and then, the doorbell would ring. There would be a delivery boy at the door, either to deliver something or to pick up a return. From daily-use items to fancy products, perishables like milk and vegetables to durables like upholstery to even odd pieces of furniture, almost everything was
- [Balle Balle !Punjabi oye!](https://lifespice.blog/2017/06/18/balle-balle-punjabi-oye-2/) - A few kilometers from Sydney, as we reached its Indian dominated suburb, Harris Park, we could see the surroundings change dramatically acquiring a typical Indian touch. The flashing blue-green lights greeted our eyes. In the hub of Indian eateries, we found a number of Indian restaurants and eating joints selling Indian street food on both
- [Grand privilege of online grand parenting](https://lifespice.blog/2024/09/23/grand-privilege-of-online-grand-parenting/) - It is Sunday. The child’s parents are at home. We, the grandparents are sitting listlessly, missing our most gratifying, pleasant, and enjoyable duty, if at all it can be called a duty. Come Monday, we shall be back to our cheerful routine, spending time with our little bundle of joy, our one-year-ten-months old granddaughter,
- [H](https://lifespice.blog/2021/03/24/recalling-those-dreadful-days-through-humour-in-social-media/) - Humour
- [Let’s not press the hate button](https://lifespice.blog/2024/08/10/lets-not-press-the-hate-button/) - Thankfully, this year Nuh Shobha Yatra concluded peacefully amid an internet ban and tight security. Last year, when communal clashes took place during the procession, I was in Gurugram with my son. Tension spread through several districts of South Haryana, including Gurugram, impacting the life of everyone, rich and poor, belonging to all the
- [Middle class double standards](https://lifespice.blog/2011/11/04/middle-class-double-standards/) - The Planning Commission affidavit on the poverty criterion led to public outcry. The sensitive and vocal middle class was outraged. How could any one survive on the paltry sum of Rs 32 in the times of sky rocketing prices? The govt. was ridiculed for the outrageously low per capita daily consumption expenditure of Rs. 32
- [Near misses at the airport and a life’s lesson](https://lifespice.blog/2024/07/17/near-misses-at-the-airport-and-a-lifes-lesson/) - After the security check at the airport, while I was waiting to pick up my handbag and mobile from the tray, my phone kept ringing incessantly. Without even looking at the screen, I knew the caller was none other than my husband. That was the time when I had started travelling solo by air after
- [Reflections  triggered by an outrageous outburst over dress](https://lifespice.blog/2024/05/10/all-about-an-outrageous-outburst-over-a-dress/) - Sometime back, a video of a middle-aged woman shaming and rebuking young girls for wearing short dresses in a restaurant went viral on social media. As I watched the video, memory of an old incident, almost forgotten, that took place more than two decades ago flashed across my mind. Though the setting and time was
- [The three Rs that we practised unawares  ](https://lifespice.blog/2024/05/02/the-three-rs-that-we-practised-unawares/) - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are buzz words today. However, growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, we were unaware of the three Rs of environment conservation yet would practise these earnestly. Unlike the present-day ‘use and throw’ culture, we would tend to use everything to the fullest. Almost nothing was discarded in our middle-class
- [As memories linger, nostalgia remains](https://lifespice.blog/2022/01/02/as-memories-linger-nostalgia-remains/) - For my generation that grew up in the 60s and 70s, childhood was sans much of the frills and amenities of today; nevertheless, it was joyful and fun-filled. It is another matter that fun for us had a different connotation altogether. A candy, a chocolate, an orange bar or a bottle of coke was
- [Hang over of the past](https://lifespice.blog/2015/12/07/hang-over-of-the-past/) - I belong to the generation that saw in its youth the superstar Rajesh Khanna fade into oblivion and Amitabh Bacchan emerge as the angry young man of the silver screen. As a teenager,I was mesmerized by the beauty of Hema Malini but was a Jaya Bhaduri fan. Charming Rakhee and gorgeous Rekha impressed me but
- [The new fashion mantra : Wear what you like](https://lifespice.blog/2024/01/14/the-new-fashion-mantra-wear-what-you-like/) - As I stood decked up in an ostentatious outfit on my son’s wedding, I remembered my mother, sans any makeup dressed modestly on mine. She wore a simple sari that she had picked up randomly from her limited wardrobe. While my mother did not spend a penny on herself for the occasion, I spent a
- [The wonder machine](https://lifespice.blog/2024/03/13/it-washes-it-rinses-it-even-dries-your-clothes/) - “It washes, it rinses, it even dries your clothes ……………You are ready for the show!” In mid '80s, the commercial of an Indian brand that introduced washing machine in the country caught my fancy. The company has long been closed down but the jingle still rings in my mind. No beating, no rubbing and no
- [An unexpected lesson in contentment](https://lifespice.blog/2021/03/28/an-unexpected-lesson-in-contentment/) - I had always been moved by the plight of a shabbily clad limping man who worked as a maali in my neibhourhood. Though not a trained gardener, he could be seen wielding his khurpi (trowel), working in lawns and tending to flower beds in the locality. However; after lockdown was imposed, I did not see
- [Forward 'soch ke' Think before you forward](https://lifespice.blog/2021/07/01/forward-soch-ke-think-before-you-forward-3/) - ‘A herd of giraffes is walking down majestically to the diving board. One by one the giraffes pull off acrobatic dive into the swimming pool.’ An awesome video going viral on social media with the claim that it is a real show in Australia! The fact is it is not a real show, but computer
- [Dil hai chchota sa , chchoti si aashaa…](https://lifespice.blog/2023/01/26/dil-hai-chchota-sa-chchoti-si-aashaa/) - It was a sort of upheaval in life, stoppage of monthly salary, loss of position and also my routine. Coinciding with the time when I was grappling with the empty nest syndrome, superannuation hit me like a double whammy. Initially, it was not easy to handle. However, five years into my retirement, I am at
- [Suhani yaden….  Tuning in radio memories](https://lifespice.blog/2023/10/12/suhani-yaden-tuning-in-golden-memories-of-radio/) - Today, when I ask Alexa to play a song of my choice, she obliges readily. However, I can’t get over the charm of the old times, when I waited in anticipation for my favourite song to play on radio. There was an element of surprise in the playlist that added to the appeal. As the
- [Let us spare a thought for the environment before using a tissue paper](https://lifespice.blog/2023/07/21/1131/) - Like many , I , too, started taking pride in using tissue paper liberally as napkin, kitchen towel and wipes. Where one or two napkins could serve the purpose, I would use and throw away a stack of tissues mindlessly. I didn’t mind grabbing quite a few of them for drying hands in a public
- [From ageing blues to ageing with grace and gratitude](https://lifespice.blog/2023/10/27/from-ageing-blues-to-ageing-with-grace-and-gratitude/) - There was a time when I was disturbed by the appearance of fine lines. Appearance of stray whites on my crowning glory was enough to rob me of my peace of mind. Threading needle and reading fine print became a problem, but the thought of wearing reading glasses was a big blow to my youthful
- [Never too late to live it up](https://lifespice.blog/2021/06/03/never-too-late-to-live-it-up/) - ‘Girlie gang’ sounds funny for retirees, but this is how we tend to behave when we get together. Retired, we are from the college but certainly not tired. After all, there is much more to life than an active work schedule. We may not be young enough to work, but definitely not old to renounce
- [Straight from a mother’s heart ….](https://lifespice.blog/2018/09/12/straight-from-a-mothers-heart/) - Once you become a mother your life changes completely. Your time is no longer yours. Your priorities change. All your energy and emotions are invested in the children while your own interests take a back seat. You make adjustments for your children , but the beauty of motherhood is what you do for your kids
- [A tale of missing bins and a life’s lesson](https://lifespice.blog/2023/05/07/a-a-tale-of-missing-bins-and-a-lifes-lesson/) - After a spell of extreme cold, when I resumed my evening walk in mid-January to the neighborhood park, I noticed a pair of gleaming steel dustbins, one for the dry waste and another for wet waste, hanging majestically to a steel frame fixed near the park entrance. Not just one, there were four pairs of
- [Parking pangs in Chandigarh](https://lifespice.blog/2023/04/18/parking-pangs-in-chandigarh/) - Remember the famous dialogue in block-buster movie of 70s ‘Deewar’ between Amitabh rBachchan and Shashi Kapoor, “Mere paas gari hai, bangla hai, tere paas kya hai?” “Mere paas maan hai.” Based on the conversation between the two actors, there is a meme with a twist. “Mere paas Mercedes hai, BMW hai. Tere paas kya hai?”
- [In fond memory  of a benevolent disciplinarian](https://lifespice.blog/2023/04/16/in-fond-memory-of-a-benevolent-disciplinarian/) - I distinctly remember the principals’ office housed in a tiny room with low ceiling. The office was small and modest, but the person occupying it was a woman of stature with an impressive persona. Mrs. Shakuntala Roy was the head of the institution when I joined MCM DAV College, Chandigarh as a faculty member a
- [Scriptures – How fair to the fair sex](https://lifespice.blog/2018/07/05/scriptures-how-fair-to-the-fair-sex/) - It was for the first time that I was attending Sunderkand Paath being held at my friend’s place. I was trying to catch up with the ladies as they recited the couplets from the scripture. I could hardly understand anything from the rendition but for one couple that caught my attention, “Dhol, gavaar shudra, pashu,
- [The games nostalgia plays](https://lifespice.blog/2022/07/25/the-games-nostalgia-plays/) - Taking a sepia-tinted view of childhood and yearning for the life we once lived are universal phenomena. Our childhood might not have been very comfortable, the past not so perfect yet we love to indulge in sentimental glamourisation of the past, recalling those bygone days with nostalgia. The wistful feeling that everything was better in
- [Falling in love with the game of hockey all over again](https://lifespice.blog/2021/08/26/falling-in-love-with-hockey-all-over-again/) - India’s astounding performance in hockey in Tokyo Olympic brought back memories of my growing up days in 70s when hockey was our national pride. Though I never held a hockey stick in my hand, but was an enthusiastic fan of the game of skill, speed and stamina during my school days. Close to my school
- [The Sahars of Afghanistan](https://lifespice.blog/2021/08/18/the-sahars-of-afghanistan/) - ‘Hello ma’am, hope you are safe. I pray to God to protect you, your family and friends from Covid 19…’ was her last message dated April 30,2021 on Facebook Messenger when the devastating second wave of the coronavirus was ravaging the country. It was a touching message fro Sahar, one of my old students, a
- [Jab we met](https://lifespice.blog/2020/02/16/jab-we-met/) - Like many romantic stories which begin on a journey, the origin of my ‘Jab We Met’ story can be traced to a bus journey. However, let me clarify it wasn’t love at first sight. No spark kindled, no fireworks, no violins played in the background, no butterflies fluttered in my stomach when I met him
- [Happiness is a matter of Choice](https://lifespice.blog/2022/10/28/happiness-is-a-matter-of-choice/) - Life is all about making choices, whether it’s to do with major ones in life like the choice of career or life partner, or to do with mundane issues like what to cook, what to wear, where to go, or which movie to watch. While most of us are diligent about taking a host of
- [Exploring Recipe for Happiness](https://lifespice.blog/2022/08/30/exploring-recipe-for-happiness/) - “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with ceaseless restlessness.” A profound statement on happiness made by one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century! Albert Einstein was touring Japan when he got the news of winning Nobel Prize in Physics. Overwhelmed by the sudden name and
- [Why relive the horrors of those dark days?](https://lifespice.blog/2022/08/22/why-relive-the-horrors-of-those-dark-days/) - I remember my paternal grandfather’s house near Chaura Bazar in Ludhiana, a small, triple storey house with a tiny room, a small kitchen, a courtyard on the ground floor and a toilet without sewage on the top floor. It was a queer-looking house that he got in claim in lieu of the property left
- [Learning from mistakes](https://lifespice.blog/2019/11/29/learning-from-mistakes/) - “Mistakes are painful but as the time goes by, they become a collection of experiences called lessons.” As I read these lines , I am reminded of a classic instance of my immaturity, rather stupidity, dating back to the time when I had just joined a college as a lecturer on probation. At the age
- [Just two-minutes for our feathered friends](https://lifespice.blog/2022/06/03/just-two-minutes-for-our-feathered-friends/) - On a particularly hot summer day while I was having my customary evening walk in the neighborhood park, I happened to take note of a middle-aged man. My curiosity was aroused to see the man carrying water in a big polythene bag. There was an unmistakable sense of mission in his gait. Yes, he
- [Race for faster Delivery](https://lifespice.blog/2022/04/20/race-for-faster-delivery/) - A food delivery company rolls out an instant delivery plan. You have craving for a particular food; with a touch on the mobile screen you place the order, within 10 minutes food will be delivered at your doorstep. Isn’t it crazy? It takes more time to cook a packet of much touted 2- minute
- [Taken for a ride, for free](https://lifespice.blog/2022/03/10/taken-for-a-ride-for-free/) - It is sales season. There are advertisements galore in newspapers and on television, banners in every market place announcing the ‘End of season sale’-free gifts and heavy discounts. The moment I see the word ’free’, excitement overtakes my rational mind. My ability to analyze objectively the need and evaluate the pros and cons of
- [A ray of hope](https://lifespice.blog/2014/03/31/53/) - Whereas birth of a son is celebrated; there is, instead, a sort of mourning or a resigned acceptance on the arrival of a baby girl in most Indian homes. Sadly, this is neither the beginning nor the end of prejudices against the females. In fact, discrimination begins much before birth as thousands of girls in
- [An exhaustive exercise in vanity](https://lifespice.blog/2022/01/31/an-exhaustive-exercise-in-vanity/) - Gone are the days when accomplishments were kept under wraps, away from public gaze. The common refrain used to be ‘nazar lag jaye gi. Hence, sharing of good news was discouraged. Not true any longer. In the age of social media, everyone seems to be flaunting achievements and crowing about one’s accomplishments on platforms like
- [Bidaai without tears](https://lifespice.blog/2021/12/27/bidaai-without-tears/) - My marriage was solemnized in early 80s, an era of simple wedding, 'Band, Baaja and Baarat’ sans over-the-top extravagance of today. It was the time when Bollywood had not made its mark on Indian weddings except for ‘Babul ki duayen leti jaa ……,maike ki kabhi na yaad ayee jaa tujh ko sukhi sansaar mile....’, the
- [Family reunion on hold](https://lifespice.blog/2021/12/23/family-reunion-on-hold/) - It has been more than two years since we met our children staying abroad. The last time we, as a family, spent time together was in Sydney in September 2019, just a few months before Covid struck bringing the entire world to its knees. Undeniably, the past two years have been traumatizing, trying, and
- [Caught in a smoky haze](https://lifespice.blog/2021/11/25/caught-in-a-smoky-haze/) - With the pollution level rising and concerns over hazardous air quality mounting at many places, I am reminded of my road trip to Delhi four years ago in mid-November to attend my niece’s wedding. There was a slight nip the morning air common during this time of the year when we started from Chandigarh. The
- [Mindless shares and fake forwards](https://lifespice.blog/2020/10/04/mindless-shares-and-fake-forwards/) - ‘A herd of giraffes is walking majestically to the diving board. One by one the giraffes pull off acrobatic dive into the swimming pool.’ An awesome video going viral on social media with the claim that it is a real show in Australia! However, it is not a real show, but computer graphics, an
- [At sea](https://lifespice.blog/2021/10/25/at-sea/) - I shun modern gizmos. A new mobile phone gives me jitters. I am technologically and digitally challenged. Unlike Gen X and Gen Z that has grown up with digital technology, I was introduced to the digital world when I was well past my youth. No wonder, I find myself outdated in this E-era. I am
- [Easing into a life of retirement](https://lifespice.blog/2021/09/20/easing-into-a-life-of-retirement/) - Four years ago on that day when I was dressing up to go to the college, my work place for one last time; I could feel tightening in my stomach. I had a weird sinking feeling as I bid adieu to the institution where I spent more than three-and-a half decades of my life
- [Traffic Lights- a mirror image of our society](https://lifespice.blog/2017/11/16/traffic-lights-a-mirror-image-of-our-society/) - As I commute to the college, my workplace, not more than two kilometers away from my home, I cross a traffic signal. The roads leading to this crossing have short dividers which are often used to skip the traffic lights. Never mind the risk of banging into the approaching traffic, there are many who come
- [The Indiagate scam](https://lifespice.blog/2013/06/23/the-indiagate-scam/) - The incident dates back to pre-independence period. My father must have been in his early 20s, when as a fresh graduate, he was selected in the Defence Accounts Department of the government of India. For joining the job he required a medical certificate. After his medical examination he had to get the final stamp of
- [The Mask(ing) challenge   ](https://lifespice.blog/2021/04/22/the-masking-challenge/) - When asked how prepared she is to cope with the second wave of the coronavirus, a Punjaban answers gleefully that she is all geared up with the matching masks ready to go with every suit.’ Well! It is one of those WhatsApp jokes taking a dig at women. Of course, an exaggeration but not
- [I am anguished , I am angry ....](https://lifespice.blog/2021/05/03/i-am-angry/) - A disturbing, distressing, disgusting scenario! My reaction changes from anguish to anger as I helplessly and hopelessly watch the visuals of patients gasping for breath, scores losing their lives while waiting outside hospitals. There are heart wrenching accounts of patients being shuttled from one hospital for the want of oxygen bed, hospitals running out of
- [The missing girl child](https://lifespice.blog/2012/02/01/the-missing-girl-child/) - Not only are the poor and uneducated neglecting and eliminating the girl child , the rich and the educated also continue to murder their daughters (in the womb). No wonder the girl child is missing! This is the grim picture that emerges from the recent census 2011 data which shows that there are only 919
- [Taking a jab at the coronavirus](https://lifespice.blog/2021/04/01/taking-a-jab-at-the-coronavirus/) - My WhatsApp chat box has been buzzing with positivity and enthusiasm ever since the rollout of the Covid19 vaccine in the country for senior citizens and people with co-morbidities above the age of 45. Every now and then, a message pops up in my inbox by one or the other member making proud proclamation of
- [Random musings on farm protests](https://lifespice.blog/2021/02/06/random-musings-on-farm-protests/) - Impressed with resilience, organization and spirit of community service at the farm protest sites , I wrote the piece in early January . The piece was in pipe line , when 26 January happened. This is an edited piece published in a prestigious registered online portal with strict rule that the article cannot be reproduced , hence
- [The maternal  instinct](https://lifespice.blog/2021/02/11/the-motherly-instinct/) - I vehemently deny being a helicopter mother. I have neither hovered over my children nor followed them like a shadow. I am not a control freak; have given enough freedom to my children to charter their own course, at least this is what I perceive myself to be. I may not be a mother
- [Dare devils on the roads](https://lifespice.blog/2012/04/17/dare-devils-on-the-roads/) - “Is the traffic light there just for your entertainment?” asked Oprah Winfrey,the American talk show host icon on her recent visit to India. Quite clearly she was aghast at our utter disregard for the traffic rules. Traffic lights may not be for our entertainment but it is a fact that many of us care two
- [Bending the Rules](https://lifespice.blog/2011/04/26/bending-the-rules/) - ‘Bend D Rule’, reads the sticker on the front windscreen of a neighbour’s car. In fact, all his cars, old and new, big and small, flaunt the same motto. What a style statement! But isn’t taking pride in bending the rules and breaking the law an Indian syndrome? Not only do many of us blatantly
- [Hoping for a vocabulary of positivity and optimism](https://lifespice.blog/2020/12/25/hoping-for-a-vocabulary-of-positivity-and-optimism/) - The year 2020 will go down in the annals of history as a year that changed the world altogether. Not only the life of the people changed beyond imagination, but the vocabulary of everyday use also altered noticeably. Words which were earlier unheard of, lying buried in the pages of dictionary surfaced to become commonly
- [Republic Day: Then and Now](https://lifespice.blog/2020/01/26/republic-day-then-and-now/) - I belong to the generation born a decade or so after independence that was lucky to have opened its eyes in an India high on the euphoria of newly acquired freedom. It was the time when memories of freedom struggle were still fresh in the minds of our parents and elders. Inspired by the
- [A guilt outing during Covid times](https://lifespice.blog/2020/12/26/a-guilt-outing-during-covid-times/) - Not even once did we cross the ‘laxmam rekha, remained confined within the four walls of our home during the first two months of the lockdown. All the items of daily use, including medicines and groceries, were ordered and delivered at our door step, quarantined at the designated corner before being put to use.
- [My flirtations with writing....](https://lifespice.blog/2019/07/30/my-flirtations-with-writing/) - My flirtations with writing began when I started writing ‘letters to editors’ for National Dailies. Slowly, I graduated to writing articles for lesser known newspapers. I was thrilled when my first Middle was published in a reputed National Daily in 2008 which, I considered to be a major break. Ever since then, off and on
- [Those stormy NAAC days](https://lifespice.blog/2009/03/05/the-naac-storm/) - Around the time when Tsunami hit the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a giant wave was sweeping across the institutes of higher learning in the city beautiful. The teams from NAAC (National Accreditation and Assessment Council) visited Chandigarh for the assessment and gradation of the colleges. There was a flurry of activity in
- [From aversion to smart use](https://lifespice.blog/2020/11/07/from-aversion-t-to-smart-use/) - I got my first mobile phone a little over a decade ago not by choice, but a mobile was thrust upon me, a simple ordinary phone. I was not keen on having a mobile, hence there was reluctance and hesitation on my part to use it. However, once I became comfortable with it ,
- [Weddings can be simple, chilled out and joyful too](https://lifespice.blog/2020/11/01/weddings-can-be-simple-chilled-out-and-joyful-too/) - Even the corona lockdown restrictions could not dampen the enthusiasm of my son and daughter-in-law for the wedding. After all, their bosom friend was trying knots with her long time beau. Dressed in ethnic party wear, they were all set to attend the wedding. In amazement, I watched them open their laptop, log into their
- [Missing the Taste of India](https://lifespice.blog/2016/02/28/missing-the-taste-of-india/) - It was way back in 1980; I had recently joined a prestigious college in Chandigarh as a lecturer and was staying in the college hostel with the students. On one Sunday evening, I could sense palpable excitement among the girls. I wondered why there was so much of commotion in the corridors. Lo, I found
- [No Buy-Buy, say Bye-Bye to Chinese](https://lifespice.blog/2020/08/27/no-buy-buy-say-bye-bye-to-chinese/) - I have vivid memory of my teenage son returning with his teammates from the USA after participating in a competition held at NASA, Florida. He arrived clutching his hand bag to his chest as the belt of the bag had snapped due to overstuffing. It was touching to see small gift items and knick-knacks
- [Cycle stand minus the cycles](https://lifespice.blog/2013/07/19/cycle-stand-minus-the-cycles/) - Scores of girls speeding on their scooters is a common sight in urban India today. Perched smartly on their two-wheelers, confidently negotiating chaotic traffic on roads, girls are on their own. Thanks to the light scooters without gears, girls today enjoy far greater independent mobility than the women in the past. Independently, they crisscross the
- [A 'Loving’ Legend](https://lifespice.blog/2018/01/01/a-loving-legend/) - She is like a hard softball, hard from outside but soft within. I am talking about our dynamic, energetic Principal Mrs. Sneh Mahajan who guided the destiny of the college for around one and a half decade after the retirement of our beloved founder Principal Mrs. S.Roy. Any time I think of my early years
- [Some joys cannot be felt digitally](https://lifespice.blog/2020/05/02/some-joys-cannot-be-felt-digitally/) - The onslaught of corona virus and the resultant lockdown turned life topsy-turvy. The supply of essentials got disrupted initially, but was restored within a couple of days. However, newspaper remained an issue for quite some time. Holed up in home, what my husband and I started missing the most was the daily newspaper. Our mornings
- [The show must go on….](https://lifespice.blog/2020/07/12/the-show-must-go-on/) - The activity calendar in colleges today is packed with events, much in contrast to the scenario years ago when we used have just three mega events – Prizes Distribution, Convocation and Sports Day. While the first two functions were solemn, academic in nature, the annual sports function in the Chandigarh College where I taught
- [‘Ka’ ‘Ki’ ‘Ke’ Problem](https://lifespice.blog/2017/08/24/ka-ki-ke-problem/) - “Rama Ma’am apse milne ke liye betaab hai.” I was taken aback when my friend, Mausami introduced me to her husband when I met him for the first time at a wedding . I felt hugely embarrassed with her choice of words,which translated into English meant that I was desperate to meet her husband. I
- [Lockdown special: A day in the life of a working couple](https://lifespice.blog/2020/05/30/lockdown-special-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-working-couple/) - A lockdown special meme: A mother is on a video call giving cookery lessons to her daughter . It is a delightful video in which the mom is shown giving detailed instructions " yeh karo , aise karo , kam dalo, ...," telling what and how to do. Amusing is the way she moves her head
- [That unforgettable stormy night……………….](https://lifespice.blog/2018/06/28/that-unforgettable-stormy-night/) - It is not unusual for the weather to take an erratic hostile turn during the month of May due to Western disturbances but the panic this time has been unprecedented. Of course, the havoc wrecked by storms in many parts of the country has been tremendous but, the social media played no less a role
- [We are not sailing in the same boat… ](https://lifespice.blog/2020/05/09/we-are-not-sailing-in-the-same-boat/) - Contrary to what many may like to believe that we are sailing in the same boat, the fact is all of us are caught in the same storm, but our boats are different. Some are in sturdy vessels that have greater chances of withstanding choppy waters. However, there are many sailing in light boats that
- [Life turned Topsy-Turvy..](https://lifespice.blog/2020/05/02/life-turned-topsy-turvy/) - Over the last few days life has turned topsy-turvy for millions across the country. While the lock-down has been particularly harsh, caused unspeakable misery to the poor daily wage-earners who lost their livelihood, it has thrown a different challenge to the Indian middle class. How to cope up in the absence of the domestic help
- [Mother Nature is rebooting itself](https://lifespice.blog/2020/04/24/mother-nature-is-rebooting-itself/) - ‘Blue sky studded with stars in Delhi, a city where clear sky is a rare phenomenon!’ ‘Residents of Jalandhar in Punjab wake up to a scintillating sight of Dhauladhar mountain range 200 Kms away in Himachal Pradesh.’ ‘Four weeks into the lock-down, holy water of Ganga at Hari-ki-Pauri in Haridwar has been declared fit
- [Even the darkest night will end and the Sun will rise](https://lifespice.blog/2020/04/01/even-the-darkest-night-will-end-and-the-sun-will-rise/) - Half of the world is under lockdown. Ghost towns, deserted streets, closed markets and quiet roads are the new norm. A micro-organism, the novel corona virus, Covid 19 has brought almost the entire world to stand still. Business has come to grinding halt. Global economy is in ICU. One virus has shaken the world bringing
- [The Toilet Hunt](https://lifespice.blog/2018/08/23/the-toilet-hunt/) - It is not about the hunt for toilets in India but frantic search for the missing public toilets in three capital cities of Europe that constitutes an intriguing part of my travelogue. Recently, on a group tour to Europe, we visited various tourist destinations spread over different countries by a coach. Europe is amazing; one
- [Demonetization Buzz on Social media](https://lifespice.blog/2017/01/08/demonetization-buzz-on-social-media/) - There are all sorts of messages on social media. While many can be dismissed as silly, there are others which are brilliant – satirical, crisp and thought provoking. Not only do many of the WhatApp posts provide free entertainment with jokes, memes, cartoons, videos and witty one-liners but are also informative. A big source of
- [Hooked on to WhatsApp and loving it](https://lifespice.blog/2018/02/23/hooked-on-to-whatsapp-and-loving-it/) - With umpteen programs on dozens of television channels, you are spoilt for choice but chances are there may not be a single program worth watching. You switch on a news channel, but within minutes the high decibel debate starts getting on your nerves. The anchors and panelists shout each other down, drowning the debate in
- [Reflections  over vendors' eviction](https://lifespice.blog/2020/01/30/reflections-over-vendorseviction/) - I was in for a pleasant surprise when I visited Sector 17 Shopping Plaza a couple of weeks ago- all spruced up, free of the clutter created by the vendors who had virtually seized the entire area around the fountain, pavements and also the corridors in front of the showrooms. It was way back in
- [Lessons in traffic discipline from Down Under](https://lifespice.blog/2020/01/16/lessons-in-traffic-discipline-from-down-under/) - Traffic snarls are never pleasant, but if there can be so much discipline in traffic jams, I never knew. On our way to Paris by road, we were caught in a traffic clogged highway which is infamous for the worst traffic jams in Europe. During the peak rush hour in the evening, vehicles inched slowly
- [Not so civic](https://lifespice.blog/2013/06/03/not-so-civic/) - During my teens I was an ardent reader of now defunct, ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’. Deeply entrenched in my memory is a cover story published in the magazine decades ago. Columnist and scholar Khushwant Singh, then editor of the weekly, wrote in his inimitable, no-holds-barred style as to how Indians were the dirtiest people
- [Weddings get bigger and fatter](https://lifespice.blog/2020/01/09/weddings-get-bigger-and-fatter/) - My marriage was solemnized in early 80s, an era of simple weddings-‘Band, Baaja and Baarat’ sans over-the-top extravagance of today. My wedding was, in no way a mega affair but definitely, a gala family union. Relatives-close and distant-came from far and wide but no elaborate arrangements were made for their stay. No hotel bookings,
- [What’s in the (sur) name?](https://lifespice.blog/2016/10/23/whats-in-the-sir-name/) - When the children flew away leaving us with ‘empty nest syndrome’ to grapple with and a spare accommodation to take care of , we decided to rent out a big room on the first floor.Two girls were occupying the room and there was a vacancy for the third one. It was late in the afternoon
- [Women Safety-the East and the West](https://lifespice.blog/2013/12/23/women-safety-the-east-and-the-west/) - It was the chilly night of 16 December 2012 when we reached Delhi to catch mid-night flight to Bangkok on our way to Australia. By the time the news of the horrific crime on that cold winter night in Delhi broke out, we were far away in a distant land. Blissfully unaware of the chilling
- [Mindful Consumption-the need of the hour](https://lifespice.blog/2019/11/07/lets-be-mindful-of-our-consumption/) - Climate change is not a threat any longer, but a reality. Freaky weather conditions, rising temperatures, long spell of summers and flash floods are signs of global warming. Water scarcity, a sign of environment degradation, is assuming crisis dimensions in many parts of the world including India. As per Niti Ayog 21 Indian cities
- [Numbers surge, so does the pain](https://lifespice.blog/2019/09/26/responsible-parenthood-and-population-control/) - She is a mother of seven- three sons and four daughters; the eldest is hardly twenty and the youngest not more than five years old. The frail woman in early 40s who has been working for me as a part-time help for the past couple of years toils hard to support her large family. However,
- [Lid off the Secret Stash](https://lifespice.blog/2017/11/01/lid-off-the-secret-stash/) - How can anyone forget the evening of November 8, 2016, when the P M Narendra Modi stunned the nation with his big-bang announcement on demonetization? Nobody could have imagined that the date with Mr. Modi, his unscheduled address to the nation would turn out to be the epicenter of a massive earthquake sending shock waves
- [A New Journey towards Safe Driving](https://lifespice.blog/2019/09/22/a-new-journey-towards-safe-driving/) - The pollution check of my vehicle had long been overdue but I was taking it easy. Soon after the implementation of the amended Motor Vehicle Act 2019, as the messages of hefty penalties on traffic violators started flooding the social media, I sprang into action. Without further dilly-dallying, I drove my vehicle straight to the
- [Inheritance of a different kind](https://lifespice.blog/2019/09/05/inheritance-of-a-different-kind/) - An advertisement of a cement brand featuring Amitabh Bachchan in which the actor narrates in his resonant voice as to how we can see the reflection of our parents in our children; feel their presence in the mannerism of our offspring, touches my heart. Children inherit physical attributes and traits of their parents and also
- [Time to re-look ' sab chalta hai'](https://lifespice.blog/2019/07/25/time-to-re-look-it-happens-only-in-india/) - Jim, my son’s colleague from Australia was sent on deputation for six months to the head-office of an Indian IT company located in Pune. However, within a fortnight of his stay in India, he was on the verge of nervous breakdown and had to be sent back. Back in Sydney, Jim told his India story
- [Bollywood's affair with  Switzerland](https://lifespice.blog/2019/06/29/bollywood-connection-in-switzerlan/) - Some time back the Swiss authorities decided to install a statue of Sridevi in Switzerland. The news brought the memories of an enthralling dance sequence by the superstar in the film ‘Chandni’. Clad in a sari, Sridevi looked stunning as she danced against the backdrop of breathtaking scenic beauty of Switzerland. The legendary film maker
- [From loading camera-rolls to uploading pics](https://lifespice.blog/2019/07/01/from-loading-camera-rolls-to-uploading-pics/) - While rummaging through my cupboard, I stumbled upon my personal camera that was my prized possession in not so-distant a past, but now has been lying unused for several years. With the coming of smart phones, personal cameras have become redundant. It is not just the cameras but there is a long list of
- [The thrill of the first vehicle(s) and those nostalgic first ride(s)](https://lifespice.blog/2019/06/16/graduating-from-a-scooter-to-cars/) - Driving my own SUV, I thank God for giving me more than what I asked for. Could I ever have imagined during my growing up days that not just I, but all the members in the family would have their own personal cars? It may be common today for most middle class families to
- [Poll tremors on social media](https://lifespice.blog/2019/06/06/poll-tremors-on-social-media/) - Like many of you, I, too, have been at the receiving end, suffering from the onslaught of political massages over the past two months. Now that the hullabaloo of elections is over, the election results declared and the new government is firmly in place for the next term, I hope to get some respite
- [From television cross-fire to cross-over](https://lifespice.blog/2019/05/04/from-television-cross-fire-to-cross-over/) - Hopping from one television channel to another, they appear on various news channels almost every day. Smart, savvy and articulate; they can be seen arguing passionately on prime-time TV debates- fervently advocating the party agenda, vehemently browbeating the rivals and accusing the opponents in television cross-fire. Many of these ‘argumentative Indians’ are motor-mouths who
- [It all ad(ds) up for kids](https://lifespice.blog/2017/12/25/it-all-adds-up-for-kids/) - The government’s recent advisory directing television channels against telecasting contraceptive ads between 6 am to 10pm, decrying these as ‘indecent’, especially for the children, transported me to ‘90s when my children were small. That was the time when ‘Nirodh’ advertisement was aired frequently on government owned Doordarshan, the one and only one channel in the
- [National Happiness: Determinants and Measurements](https://lifespice.blog/2019/03/31/national-happiness-determinants-and-measurements/) - Traditionally growth has been interpreted in terms of GNP. For decades economists focused on income related measures but the experience of many third world countries in 50s, 60s and 70s, led to disenchantment with GNP as a measure of growth. Despite achieving growth targets many developing countries could not improve living standard of their people.
- [Life in Chandigarh-then and now](https://lifespice.blog/2018/03/11/life-in-chandigarh-then-and-now/) - It was way back in 1980, I came to Chandigarh as a young girl of 23 to join a prestigious girls’ college as a lecturer and fell in love with the beauty and serenity of the city. In sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of Jalandhar where I spent my growing up days, I
- [Decoding the World Happiness Report 2018](https://lifespice.blog/2018/03/24/decoding-the-world-happiness-report-2018/) - Finland is the happiest country in the world as per the latest World Happiness Report released by United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network on March 14, 2018 that ranks 156 countries by their happiness levels covering the period 2015 to 2017. Norway, the last year's winner, attains second place followed by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland,
- [Count your blessings and be happy](https://lifespice.blog/2019/04/08/count-your-blessings-and-be-happy/) - Away from home on his first job and living independently, my son was, somehow, able to manage food but laundry was a big hassle for him. Unable to cope, he decided to buy a fully automatic washing machine. There was a palpable excitement in Anshul's voice when he exclaimed on the phone, “Washing machine
- [The Ad Magic](https://lifespice.blog/2019/04/06/the-ad-magic/) - A mother is shown packing for her teenage son who is leaving home for the first time to stay independently in a different city. The concerned mother recalls various articles and appliances her son may require. The same mother-son duo appears in another ad of the same E-Commerce Company in a similar setting. Now
- [Much Ado about Nothing](https://lifespice.blog/2011/09/14/much-ado-about-nothing/) - A decade ago when seminar mania had not gripped the city colleges, my exposure to the seminars was limited. I had heard about seminars but never attended one. That was the time I had an exalted notion about seminars. But I was in for a (c)rude shock when I attended the first seminar of my
- [Travelling through the Stone-Age bus stand of Millennium City](https://lifespice.blog/2019/01/02/travelling-through-the-stone-age-bus-stand-of-millennium-city/) - It was my first visit to Gurgaon, nay Gurugram, “The Millennium City” by bus. I travelled from Chandigarh by a ‘supposedly’ luxury coach ‘Volvo’ of Haryana Roadways. There is nothing luxurious about the bus any longer except for the air conditioning and the reclining seats. The fleet of Volvo buses introduced more than a decade
- [For better cycling culture, pedal Amsterdam way  ](https://lifespice.blog/2019/02/21/for-better-cycling-culture-pedal-amsterdam-way/) - Cycle tracks are being laid all across the length and breadth of Chandigarh. Passages in identifiable, trade mark red are being carved out at the crossings and roundabouts so that the cyclists get a thorough passage without mingling into major traffic. As I see brisk reconstruction activity on the roads to make the city
- [Who let the stray animals out?](https://lifespice.blog/2018/07/15/who-let-the-stray-animals-out/) - ‘Toddler mauled by a pack of stray dogs,’ read the headline in Chandigarh newpapers. Not the wolves in the periphery but the stray dogs in the heart of the city attacked and killed an eighteen month old baby boy. Shocking! Horrifying it is, but certainly not an isolated case of canine assault. In fact, incidents
- [The Agonizing Aunty Syndrome](https://lifespice.blog/2012/10/03/the-agonizing-aunty-syndrome/) - It was well past mid-night, and we were returning home after attending a New Year party in Chandigarh Club. For a change, it was not my husband but I was on the driver’s seat. My husband had taken a drink and we were aware that the police had put up nakas to nab the drunk
- [Women Empowerment sans Victimisation of Men](https://lifespice.blog/2019/03/14/no-woman-should-be-harassed-but-let-no-innocent-man-be-framed/) - “Woh jail ki hawa kha raha hai.Maine use jhute dowry kes mei andar karwaya hai.”I was aghast to hear this coming from the mouth of a young woman whom I was meeting for the first time. She, just a casual acquaintance, had no qualms in telling me that her husband was cooling his heels
- [Reservations about Reservation](https://lifespice.blog/2007/06/01/reservations-about-reservation/) - I have serious reservations about the policy of reservation, which has understandably become an emotive issue. With limited number of seats in the premier educational institutes, the policy evokes sharp reactions as the quotas further shrink the number of seats in the general category demoralizing and frustrating the meritorious youth. Nobody can deny the need
- [Five-Day Week: Challenges ahead](https://lifespice.blog/2013/05/07/five-day-week-challenges-ahead/) - In alignment with the Panjab University work schedule, its affiliated colleges are set to have a five-day module. If it is appropriate for the university to function for five days a week, it should be logical for the affiliated colleges to follow the same pattern. Undoubtedly, the argument is valid but there may be practical
- [Loo Excursion](https://lifespice.blog/2011/08/26/loo-excursion/) - From a peep into the bathroom, to intrusion in the bed room and now making inroads into the toilet showing explicit ‘loo scenes’, Bollywood movies have come a long way. If the success of Aamir khan’s latest production is any thing to go by, we really have matured as an audience. Look, what a mature
- [The Elusive Civic Sense](https://lifespice.blog/2018/04/29/the-elusive-civic-sense/) - Deeply entrenched in my memory is a cover story published decades ago in now defunct, ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’ of which I was an ardent reader in my youth. Columnist and scholar Khushwant Singh, then editor of the weekly, wrote in his inimitable, no-holds-barred style as to how Indians were the dirtiest people in
- [Bidding Adieu](https://lifespice.blog/2017/04/14/bidding-adieu/) - Close to my retirement as I reflect over my teaching career stretching beyond three and a half decades, I feel proud of spending fruitful years in a job that I loved. Teaching has not just been a profession but a passion for me. I must say that it has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience.
- [All in the name of love and romance](https://lifespice.blog/2017/10/12/all-in-the-name-of-love-and-romance/) - It was well past nine at night but the local sector market was buzzing with activity and bustling with crowd. Bangle shops had sprung up all over the market and were doing brisk business. But, the most sought after were mehendiwalas, dozens of them lined up on foot-path applying henna on the hands of women,
- [A tale of two puppies and Mother’s heart](https://lifespice.blog/2017/08/01/a-tale-of-two-puppies-and-mothers-heart/) - I am not a cell phone addict. Seldom do I open messages early in the morning. But that day it was different .As soon as I woke up, intuitively I grabbed my mobile to check WhatsApp. “Puppies chale gaye,” read the WhatsApp message from my son. My heart sank; tears welled up in my eyes
- [My flirtations with modern retail](https://lifespice.blog/2012/09/03/my-flirtations-with-modern-retail/) - A few years ago when the retail outlets of the Indian corporate giants sprang up in the neighborhood market, in the close proximity of the mom and pop stores, threat perception gripped the small shop owners who feared that the big players would swamp the market crowding out the small retailers. There was anxiety writ
- [The senior citizen dilemma](https://lifespice.blog/2011/09/26/the-senior-citizen-dilemma/) - As the Railway Minister Ms Mamta Bannerjee announced proudly in Rail budget 2011-12 that women will now be eligible for senior citizen ticket concession at the age of 58, memory of an interesting episode flashed across my mind. My paternal uncle and aunt were travelling from Patna to Jalandhar by train. My uncle availed senior
- [On being a mother of sons](https://lifespice.blog/2015/10/07/147/) - “Chill mom,” is the phrase I get to hear often. When I am in a nasty ‘instruction mood’, telling my son to get up, get ready, make his bed, put the room in order –all in a row without a breather, I get it back, “Theek hai, mamma, got it.” Also there are times when
- [Research Emphasis in colleges: A case of Misplaced Priorities](https://lifespice.blog/2016/10/12/research-emphasis-in-colleges-a-case-of-misplaced-priorities/) - With the pressure mounting on the college teachers to accumulate points under Career Advancement Scheme; the joy of teaching seems to have been lost. The teachers are being haunted by API (Academic Performance Indicators) based PBMS (Performance Based Appraisal system). Teaching, where the focus should be, has taken a back seat as a result of
- [Not just a tag-line](https://lifespice.blog/2016/07/10/not-just-a-tag-line/) - It was our first visit to ‘God’s own Country’. We reached Kochi by air and took a cab to reach our destination Kumarkam situated at a distance of 90 Kilometers from the airport. Under normal road and traffic conditions we could have reached the place in about one and half hour, but due to narrow
- [TV - down the memory lane](https://lifespice.blog/2010/05/12/tv-down-the-memory-lane/) - Sitting in the comfort of his bed room, as my son surfs scores of channels to view the programme of his choice on a flat-screen television with amazing clarity, I cannot help recalling my own growing up days .In the early 70s when television had not made entry into most Indian homes, a big Murphy
- [Telecom revolution -Jai Ho!](https://lifespice.blog/2010/08/02/telecom-revolution-jai-ho/) - Picture this: A couple from a lower middle class standing in front of a Paan Shop. A mobile phone rings. The husband excitedly glances at his mobile to see if it is his phone which is ringing. He finds it is not the case. Then the wife curiously checks her set but hers is also
- [A Unique New Year Experience](https://lifespice.blog/2014/01/20/a-unique-new-year-experience/) - This New Year’s Eve was different. In sharp contrast to the shivering cold in North India during this part of the year, the weather, though slightly warm, was pleasant in Sydney. I have attended a number of New Year celebrations, but joining the sea of humanity on Sydney roads on that eve was altogether a
- [The cheeky puzzle](https://lifespice.blog/2014/05/19/the-cheeky-puzzle/) - If Bangalore is the ‘City of Gardens’, Chandigarh has no less a claim to be called the ‘city of parks’ where every open space or stretch of land has been converted aesthetically into a park or a green grassy lawn. Neither is there any dearth of parks in the city nor of the health conscious
- [That reverence in the eyes….](https://lifespice.blog/2014/08/25/that-reverence-in-the-eyes/) - While I was leaving for my evening walk, a phone call from a student left me completely baffled. “Ma’am, will you be coming to the college tomorrow?” I was taken aback by this strange query. “Why not? Is it a holiday tomorrow?” was my instant reaction. Pat came the reply, “Ma’am, it’s your birthday.” I
- [Growing absenteeism among students - A reality check](https://lifespice.blog/2011/06/21/growing-absenteeism-among-students-a-reality-check/) - The rot in higher education in the form of falling attendance in the classes is too glaring to be ignored and too serious to be dismissed. By and large, the students are non serious, the teachers indifferent and the authorities, it seems, are disinterested. Vanishing students from the classes is a reality. It is a
- [Economics and Politics of Petroleum Product Pricing](https://lifespice.blog/2014/01/01/economics-and-politics-of-petroleum-product-pricing/) - Pricing of petroleum products in India is a controversial and tenacious issue with far reaching ramifications. To understand the complexity of fuel pricing, we need to understand the economics and politics behind it. International Petroleum Prices in historical perspective The genesis of fuel pricing in India can be traced to international crude oil price which
- [Ageing Blues](https://lifespice.blog/2008/11/08/ageing-blues/) - “Middle age starts at three and five 35”, this innocent prefix announced with the tambola number came as a bolt from the blue. At a time when I was crossing over to the other side of 30, the knowledge of the fact that I was not young any longer gave shivers down my spine. I
- [Relics of the bygone days](https://lifespice.blog/2012/09/10/relics-of-the-bygone-days/) - Just about half a kilometre from my place, stands a dilapidated building which till a decade ago was a grand, imposing structure. The happening place, which once upon a time was bustling with activity, now looks sleepy. I am not talking about any historical monument but the neighbourhood cinema hall which has lost its glory
- [Emotionally Yours](https://lifespice.blog/2012/05/26/emotionally-yours/) - My father-in-law’s room was like a big store house with piles of news papers, magazines, letters, pamphlets which no body dared disturb. There was an old record player which found a place of pride in his bed room. Though never played in decades, every effort to replace this junk piece with an operational music system
- [The Fridge Loot](https://lifespice.blog/2012/07/04/the-fridge-loot/) - It was a quiet summer afternoon. I was alone at home relaxing in the lobby when commotion in the backyard caught my attention. Alarmed, I peeped from the window of the back room. Guess, what did I see? Half a dozen monkeys descended on my back yard! A couple of monkeys were swinging frantically on
- [Glaring contrast](https://lifespice.blog/2013/10/08/glaring-contrast/) - Hailing from a land of chaotic traffic, where the unruly vehicles of all kinds ranging from four-wheelers, three-wheelers to two-wheelers, heavy and light, man-animal pulled and motorized whiz around in every plausible trajectory, I was awe-struck by the orderly flow of traffic on the wide and smooth Sydney roads. The contrast was too glaring to
- [Changing Face of Film Promotion](https://lifespice.blog/2014/02/27/changing-face-of-film-promotion/) - It is prime-time news bulletin on national television. Shah Rukh khan and Deepika Padukone are having an animated chat with the news reader. Switch to another channel, the duo occupies the centre-stage there as well. Suddenly you discover these film stars have become omnipresent, visible in every television programme- whether news, entertainment or a reality
- [The First Time Flyers](https://lifespice.blog/2016/08/25/the-first-time-flyers/) - Any first time flyer is awestruck by the grandeur and magnificence of Indira Gandhi International Airport. The sprawling, state- of- the- art Terminal 3 is a chic, different world altogether. However hard one may try to look confident and act normally, somehow the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ look on face of the person flying for the
- [Honking Instinctively](https://lifespice.blog/2014/06/23/honking-instinctively/) - Manhattan municipality is finding it difficult to control honking in the city. Reason: majority of the cab-drivers are from Indian sub-continent. Yes, it’s a fact that the drivers in this part of the world are obsessive honkers who press horn as a matter of habit. Far away in an alien land where honking is a
- [Instant Anxiety](https://lifespice.blog/2012/05/11/instant-anxiety/) - There was a time when postmen were eagerly awaited and letters by post used to be the main medium of communication. Unlike today, when there is instant connectivity, in my growing up days mobiles were unheard of and even fixed line telephones were rare. Away from home I would be residing in the hostel, for
- [Nation on Vacation](https://lifespice.blog/2010/12/27/nation-on-vacation/) - ‘What the nation on vacation!’ Sounds strange but is true. Thanks to the holiday culture that we have in India many times in a year the nation goes on vacation. There are long breaks when weekends get converted into extended weekends due to the plethora of public holidays-national, regional and local. To these are added
- [High decibel news](https://lifespice.blog/2014/01/06/high-decibel-news/) - What a news explosion on electronic media! Today dozens of news channels in English, Hindi and regional languages are beaming non-stop news hour after hour, day in and day out. Contrast this news overdose with the time when television had entered our drawing room but not invaded our bed-rooms. During those days of Doordarshan monopoly

## Pages

- [Home](https://lifespice.blog/) - Life Spice blog contains short, thought provoking stories seen from the eyes of Rama Kashyap. The blog is a collection of all her articles published from time to time. Go to Articles
- [Contact Us](https://lifespice.blog/contact-us/) - Hi There, We are looking forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to get in touch via the form below. Admin@lifespice.blog Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastEmail *Comment or Message *Submit
- [Privacy Policy](https://lifespice.blog/privacy-policy/) - lifespice.blog Privacy Policy This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their 'Personally Identifiable Information' (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate

## Categories

- [Down the memory lane](https://lifespice.blog/category/memory-lane/)
- [In a lighter vein](https://lifespice.blog/category/lighter-vein/)
- [Reflections](https://lifespice.blog/category/reflections/)
- [Academics/On a serious note](https://lifespice.blog/category/academic/)